What Could Be Confused with a Fungal Skin Infection?

Athletes foot

What may look like Athletes foot could also be:

Erythrasma (bacteria-caused skin infection of the armpit or groin regions that causes irregular, reddish-brown raised patches. This disease does not cause any symptoms and is more common in diabetics.)

a fungus that can cause yeast infection, especially in the mouth and vagina. Common with small frayed, peeling patches. Mostly in females

Hailey-Hailey

Sometimes called 'familial benign chronic pemphigus' Hailey-Hailey is a rare hereditary blistering skin disease. Usually appears in ages 30 to 40, although it can occur at any age.
It begins as a painful erosive skin rash in the skin folds, of the armpits, groins, neck, under the breasts and between the buttocks. The lesions come and go and leave no scars. Secondary bacterial infection, which is not uncommon, can give an unpleasant smell. White bands on the fingernails and pits in the palms can also occur. Heat, sweating and friction often exacerbate the disease, and most patients have worse symptoms during the summer.

Contact dermatitis

An uncomfortable and often painful reaction or allergy of the skin to an irritant or harsh substance.

Atopic dermatitis

Often referred to as "eczema", Atopic dermatitis is a chronic disease that affects the skin. It is not contagious; it cannot be passed from one person to another. The skin becomes extremely itchy. Scratching leads to redness, swelling, cracking, "weeping" clear fluid, and finally, crusting and scaling.

Mycosis fungoides

This condition is a low-grade lymphoma that primarily affects the skin. Generally it has a slow course and often remains confined to the skin. Over time, in about 10 per cent of the cases, it can progress to the lymph nodes and internal organs.

Ringworm

What may look like Ringworm could also be:
Psoriasis

A skin disease marked by red scaly patches

Pityriasis rosea

A skin disease affecting humans and animals in which the skin comes off in dry flakes

Annular erythema

Occurs in young and old, usually as a small raised pink-red spot that slowly enlarges and forms a ring shape while the central area flattens and clears. Lesions most often appear on the thighs and legs, but may occur on the face, trunk and arms. Often no specific cause for the eruptions is found.

Tinea versicolor

(skin infection caused by any number of species of fungi that live as parasites on the outer layer of the skin, nails or hair)
What may look like Tinea versicolor could also be:

Tinea faciei (face fungus)

What may look like Tinea faciei could also be:

Discoid lupus erythematosus

This is a chronic skin condition characterized by inflammation and scarring primarily on the face, ears, and scalp. The cause is unknown, but tends to run in families. Females outnumber males with this condition three to one. This may be part of SLE.

Contact dermatitis

An uncomfortable and often painful reaction or allergy of the skin to an irritant or harsh substance.

Polymorphous light eruption

This is a skin condition caused by sunlight. A delayed-onset, spotty, itchy eruption appears on the skin, and may take between five to ten days to clear.

Onychomycosis

What may look like Onychomycosis could also be:

Psoriasis

This is noncontagious, and appears as raised, red patches or lesions covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells, called scale. May look like fungal infection.

Atopic eczema

Causes the skin to feel dry; some areas become red and inflamed. Occurs next to skin creases -- front of the elbows and wrists, backs of knees, and around the neck. The face is a commonly affected in babies. The inflamed skin is itchy. If you scratch a lot it may cause patches of skin to become thickened. Sometimes the inflamed areas of skin become blistered and weepy or infected.

Lichen planus

Common areas where you'll find this condition are on the inner wrists, the forearms and the ankles. The mouth, genital region, hair and nails are affected in some individuals. Lichen planus looks like purple or reddish- purple bumps on the skin. The bumps have flat tops, are uneven in shape, and there might be white scales or flakes on them. It is not caused by stress, but sometimes stress makes it worse.

Chronic Paronychia

This is an infection that usually develops slowly, causing gradual swelling, tenderness and redness of the skin around the nails. It usually is caused by Candida or some other species of fungus, an organism similar to mushrooms, molds and mildew. It often affects several fingers on the same hand. People with a higher-than-average risk of chronic paronychia include those with diabetes or workers whose jobs constantly expose their hands to water or chemical solvents.

Nail trauma

This condition occurs when a fingernail or toenail is injured by a blow or closing the finger or toe in a door or drawer. This kind of trauma commonly results in blood under the nail. Repeated trauma to toenails, caused by ill-fitting shoes, can lead to deformities in the nails. The deformities may resemble a fungal infection; nails can be thickened or discolored and can lift away from the nail bed.